White House FISA Olive Branch?

The White House, seeking to break a months-long standoff, has signaled to Democratic lawmakers it is open to negotiation over a proposal to expand government spy powers, according to officials familiar with the conversations.

House Majority Leader Steny H. Hoyer , D-Md., said Tuesday he has received indications the Bush administration is interested in negotiating a compromise extension of stalled electronic surveillance legislation.

Of course, the White House will have to be willing to specifically negotiate the matter of immunity. In recent weeks, they have rejected all Democratic offers of limited immunity--proposals that would, for instance, limit damages while keeping lawsuits against telecommunications companies alive. If this olive branch is really an olive branch, that will have to change.